TKaM Chp. 9 - Analyze Atticus' attitude towards Blacks

Atticus takes a tolerant and liberal attitude towards blacks. He namely forbids Scout to use a discriminatory swear word for blacks (cf. p. 83) and thus disapproves of racial prejudice.

Furthermore, Atticus has a strong ambition to uphold his sense of justice and self-respect since he obliged himself to defend a black man named Tom Robinson in court, even though many people badmouth him for it (cf. p. 84). Therefore, he sees beyond color boxes and treats his clients equally.

In addition, he acts courageous and moral by attempting to defend this black man in public, even though there is little chance of winning due to the Jim Crow laws. That also shows that he strongly disapproves of the Jim Crow laws and xenophobia, and that he is an independent thinker who acts more progressive than the people of his time (cf. p. 83).

He also puts Tom Robinson in a positive light by mentioning that he comes from a "clean living people" and that he is a member of Calpurnia's church. This shows that Atticus sees black people as complex individuals with private lives and assesses them without considering skin color in his judgement (cf. p. 83). That further proves why Atticus is a liberal and virtuous man.

In conclusion, Atticus is exceptionally sympathetic towards blacks compared to the people around him, as he does not judge people by the color of their skin. Therefore, his attitude towards black people is respectful and tolerant.

<p>For my next assignment in the advanced class, I have to analyse excerpts from the book To Kill A Mockingbird. I would be very grateful for any effort to correct my text, as my English skills have become rusty due to my loss of interest in this language.</p>